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Review: AMD Ryzen 7 2700 and Ryzen 5 2600 (12nm)

by Tarinder Sandhu on 2 May 2018, 13:01

Tags: AMD (NYSE:AMD)

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Introduction

AMD moved the Ryzen Hype Train along a few stations with the release of second-generation models last month. We reviewed the Ryzen 7 2700X and Ryzen 5 2600X and found them to be solid performers, particularly with respect to multi-threaded performance and bang for buck.

Though mentioned in the original article, AMD also released the non-X versions of the same chips, so without further ado, let's take a closer look at them.

AMD Ryzen product range

Model
Cores / Threads
TDP
L3 Cache
Base Clock
Turbo Clock
Process
PCIe
DDR4 Support
Package
Price
AMD Ryzen Threadripper
Ryzen Threadripper 1950X
16 / 32
180W
32MB
3.4GHz
4.0GHz
14nm
64
Quad 2666
TR4
$999
Ryzen Threadripper 1920X
12 / 24
180W
32MB
3.5GHz
4.0GHz
14nm
64
Quad 2666
TR4
$799
Ryzen Threadripper 1900X
8 / 16
180W
16MB
3.8GHz
4.0GHz
14nm
64
Quad 2666
TR4
$449
AMD Ryzen 7
Ryzen 7 2700X
8 / 16
105W
16MB
3.7GHz
4.3GHz
12nm
24
Dual 2933
AM4
$329
Ryzen 7 2700
8 / 16
65W
16MB
3.2GHz
4.1GHz
12nm
24
Dual 2933
AM4
$299
Ryzen 7 1800X
8 / 16
95W
16MB
3.6GHz
4.0GHz
14nm
24
Dual 2666
AM4
$349
Ryzen 7 1700X
8 / 16
95W
16MB
3.4GHz
3.8GHz
14nm
24
Dual 2666
AM4
$309
Ryzen 7 1700
8 / 16
65W
16MB
3.0GHz
3.7GHz
14nm
24
Dual 2666
AM4
$299
AMD Ryzen 5
Ryzen 5 2600X
6 / 12
95W
16MB
3.6GHz
4.2GHz
12nm
24
Dual 2933
AM4
$229
Ryzen 5 2600
6 / 12
65W
16MB
3.4GHz
3.9GHz
12nm
24
Dual 2933
AM4
$199
Ryzen 5 1600X
6 / 12
95W
16MB
3.6GHz
4.0GHz
14nm
24
Dual 2666
AM4
$219
Ryzen 5 1600
6 / 12
65W
16MB
3.2GHz
3.6GHz
14nm
24
Dual 2666
AM4
$189
Ryzen 5 2400G
4 / 8
65W
4MB
3.6GHz
3.9GHz
14nm
16
Dual 2933
AM4
$169
Ryzen 5 1500X
4 / 8
65W
16MB
3.5GHz
3.7GHz
14nm
24
Dual 2666
AM4
$174
Ryzen 5 1400
4 / 8
65W
8MB
3.2GHz
3.4GHz
14nm
24
Dual 2666
AM4
$169
AMD Ryzen 3
Ryzen 3 2200G
4 / 4
65W
4MB
3.5GHz
3.7GHz
14nm
16
Dual 2933
AM4
$99
Ryzen 3 1300X
4 / 4
65W
8MB
3.5GHz
3.7GHz
14nm
24
Dual 2666
AM4
$129
Ryzen 3 1200
4 / 4
65W
8MB
3.1GHz
3.4GHz
14nm
24
Dual 2666
AM4
$109

Not the same bargain this time around

Getting the obvious bits out of the way first, the Ryzen 7 2700 and Ryzen 5 2600 are based on the same Zen+ architecture as the X-designated models. This means they are built on a 12nm process, fit into a plethora of AM4 boards, and run with DDR4-2,933 memory support. IPC is a tad higher than the previous generation mainly due to improvements in the memory-latency department. Overall speeds are higher, too, thanks to the use of Precision Boost 2 technology that better maximises per-core headroom.

Continuing the theme laid down last year, non-X chips reduce the TDP to 65W, down from 105W and 95W for the reviewed Ryzen 7 and 5, respectively. That's some wattage to shave off, so potential frequencies are reduced by a significant degree. Keeping inside that 65W envelope requires the Ryzen 7 2700 to pull back to 3.2GHz base and 4.1GHz boost. These numbers don't tell the whole story, however, as the all-core boost, which is the most important metric in defining full-on multi-threaded performance, is likely to be a fair bit lower than 2700X - it has an extra 40W to play with, after all.

Ryzen 5 2600 faces the same frequency/wattage dilemma. Its 3.4GHz base and 3.9GHz boost ought to put it reasonably close to the X part in light-load tests but we'll have to wait and see just what it does when running flat out.

So who do these chips appeal to? One can make a case for users who want the latest Ryzen goodness in a small-form-factor PC where cooling/heat is likely to be more of an issue. Others preferring a truly low-noise computing experience would do well pairing one of these processors with a massive cooler for near-silent operation.

Scaled-back versions of the 'X' family

But, of course, the beauty of the Ryzen processors is their unlocked status. Appreciating that all second-generation Ryzen chips are coming off similar production wafers, they should have similar electrical characteristics, enabling you to overclock X and non-X chips to similar levels. Fancy some more oomph? Dial the Ryzen 7 2700 up to an all-core 4GHz with a bit more voltage. That's the theory, anyway.

The 65W versions of the first-gen Ryzens also stood out because they were substantially cheaper than the X version. For example, going back to the Ryzen 7 1800X review highlights that the 1700 was £70 cheaper than the 1700X. Such relative bargains are not available this time. As of May 1, both new Ryzens are £25 cheaper than their X counterparts, coming in at £255 and £170.

Making the case even harder for the Ryzen 7 2700, it ships with the Wraith Spire LED cooler, not the new-and-improved Wraith Prism LED present in the 2700X's packaging. Ryzen 5 2600, meanwhile, has the same Wraith Spire (non-LED) cooler in its retail packaging. Put simply, the non-X processors are a tougher sell this time around, more likely to be used by system integrators than enthusiasts.

Right-o, on to the benchmarks.